The Harrier GR.9 an upgrade to the GR.7 that involves avionics and weapons. The
Integrated Weapons Program (IWP) enables the aircraft to carry the new smart
weapons as well as INS and GPS. Now capable of carrying the Brimstone, Maverick,
Paveway III LGB and the Paveway IV PGB missiles the GR.9 will also receive a Sniper
targeting pods.

Joint Force 2000 was the decision to combine the Harriers of the RAF and the Sea
Harriers of the Royal Navy and place them under one command structure within RAF
Strike Command. Harrier ZD461’s first flight was as a GR.7A on October 10, 1989 and
the military took delivery on November 16, 1989. It was eventually upgraded to a GR.
9A and assigned to 1(F) Squadron that took part in Operation Herrick, the code name
for British operations for the war in Afghanistan. The squadron’s mission was to
provide close air support for ground troops. On June 29, 2009 1(F) Sqn. Left
Kandahar Air Field for the last time after a five year stay. The squadron returned to the
Naval Strike Wing (NSW), Fleet Air Arm (Royal Navy), RAF Cottesmore, UK where the
aircraft wears ZD461/51A. The Harrier supposedly will be replaced in 2012 by the
F-35 JSF.

Specifications BAe Harrier II GR.7

Crew - 1

Dimensions
Length - 46 ft 4 in   (14.12 m)
Wingspan - 30 ft 4 in   (9.25 m)
Height - 11 ft 8 in   (3.56 m)
Wing area - 343 ft²   (22.6 m²)

Weights
Empty - 12,500 lb   (5,700 kg)
Loaded – 15,703 lb   (7,123 kg)
Maximum Takeoff -
VTO 18,950 lb   (8,595 kg)
STO 31,000 lb   (14,016 kg)

Powerplant
1× Rolls-Royce Pegasus Mk. 105 turbofan with four thrust vectored exhaust nozzles,
21,750 lb (96.7 kN)
Performance
Maximum speed - 662 mph   (1,065 km/h)
Combat radius - 300 nmi   (556 km)
Ferry range - 2,015 mi   ( 3,242.8 km )
Service ceiling - 50,000 ft   (15,000 m)
Rate of climb - 14,715 ft/min   (74.8 m/s)

Armament
Guns
2 × 30 mm (1.18 in) ADEN cannon pods under the fuselage (no longer fitted)
Hardpoints
8× under-wing pylon stations (pylon 3 & 6 are meant only for Air-to-air missiles)
holding up to 8,000 lb   (3,650 kg) of payload
Rockets
4 × LAU-5003 rocket pods (each with 19× CRV7 70 mm rockets)
or
4 × Matra rocket pods (each with 18× SNEB 68 mm rockets)
Missiles
Air-to-air missile -
6 × AIM-9 Sidewinders
or
6 × AIM-132 ASRAAMs
Air-to-surface missile -
4 × AGM-65 Maverick
or
6 × Brimstone missiles
Bombs
A variety of air-to-ground ordnance such as the Paveway II/Paveway III/Paveway IV
series of Laser-guided bombs
Or
unguided iron bombs (including 3 kg and 14 kg practice bombs)
Others
2 × auxiliary drop tanks for ferry flight or extended range/loitering time
or
reconnaissance pods (such as the Joint Reconnaissance Pod)

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